23. Tripp
Chapter 23
Tripp
A towering neon sign comes into view as we reach the outskirts of town. It reads Stargazer Drive-In Theater in glowing white letters with a red arrow wrapping around it and pointing us in the right direction. Following the sign, I turn down the dense tree-lined drive until it opens into a clearing.
There is a faint orange glow as the sun begins to dip low in the sky. It’s going to be a clear night; the drive-in will live up to its name for us. I watch as Ivy glances around us, noting the empty parking lot. Her eyes trace across the sign next. It says closed, and I can see her working through this in her mind.
“It’s closed for everyone else tonight,” I explain. As if on cue, the projector room roars to life, the massive screen before us lighting up.
“How?” she breathes, eyes widening with understanding. My heart stutters at the excitement in her voice. Seems like I’m doing alright so far.
“The owner is an old fishing buddy of Pops. He was happy to oblige. I…” Hesitating, I recall the comment Reid made to her the night before. “I don’t think of you as my dirty secret. I just thought, maybe some privacy tonight can help us relax and enjoy ourselves.”
Reaching over, she runs her hand along my jaw. Her touch is gentle, caressing. “It’s perfect. What’s playing tonight?”
“It’s called Practical Magic . I’m not sure what it is, but the name seemed like something you’d enjoy. And he told me it was a good date movie.”
“I love this movie,” she beams.
I reach up and take her hand in mine, bringing it to my lips and kissing her palm. Maybe I’m doing more than alright, at least I really hope so. A first date with Ivy Taylor is something I’ve been waiting my whole life for.
“Give me one minute?” I ask, opening my door and jumping out.
Pulling open the back door, I unfold the blankets I stowed in here before heading to the Taylor’s this afternoon. I lay them out until there’s a soft base, then call to her in the front.
Ivy bounces out and appears at my side in a blink of an eye. “This looks amazing,” she breathes.
“Climb on in,” I hold my hand out to assist her. “They have popcorn and M&M’s, you like to mix those together for movies, right?”
“You noticed that?”
“I couldn’t help but notice. When it comes to you, it’s always been that way for me.” I give her knee a squeeze and turn for the concessions hut. A few paces away, I stop and look back over my shoulder. Ivy is watching me with a bewildered look that I can’t help but smile at. She’s gorgeous with her curls framing her delicate face, glowing from the screen behind me. And she’s here with me.
Reaching the concessions, I go around behind the counter as instructed and start the popcorn machine. Collecting the chocolate candies, I turn back and scoop out the freshly popped snack, smothering it with the butter and pouring in the chocolates. I start back through the gravel lot just as the words featured presentation flash across the screen.
“What is this about?” I ask, handing her the red and white striped bucket and jumping up into the space beside her.
“Along with witchy sisters, it’s a romance. About a shop owner and a detective,” she replies, a twinkle in her eye.
“Hmm, sounds familiar. What happens with them?”
“Magic.”
Ivy looks over at me as she curls her hands into her long sweater sleeves and brings them up to hide her growing smile. I reach over and take her hands in mine instead. With her soft eyes shining, her full, sweet smile in place, she’s perfect. Not everyone gets to see this version of Ivy, and I crave to hold onto it. I want to be a part of her most joyful moments.
I wrap my arms around her as she drops her head onto my shoulder and brings her hand to rest on my chest. As new as this is, it feels like the most natural thing in the world. Like we took the long way to reach the inevitable.
“Can I ask you something?” She picks her head up and looks at me the moment the detective makes his first appearance on screen.
“Sure.”
Ivy shifts in my arms, bringing her knees up and letting them fall onto my lap. “Why did you want to be sheriff?”
Dragging my hand along her leg, I reply, “I didn’t initially, but Winston approached me when he was ready to retire. He asked me to run, said he thought I was the man for the job. He was close friends with Pops so agreeing to run felt like it would be as much for my grandfather as it would be for my mentor. And then the more I thought about it, the more I realized I wanted to be the man for the job. I wanted to protect the place that took me in when I had nowhere. Honor the beliefs of my grandfather that taught me to love this town. I knew I’d have to deal with the politics, but I also knew I’d get to advance the department and leave a mark of my own.”
“Those are wonderful reasons,” she murmurs.
“What made you think of that?”
“Just, the movie,” she motions to the man flashing his badge on the scene. “Are you happy as the sheriff? Or do you ever regret it?”
A chuckle escapes me as I realize where these questions are coming from. “You heard, huh?”
“Heard what?” She bats those innocent eyes at me, but I can see the confirmation in her gaze.
I lay down on the pile of pillows I threw in with the blankets to use as a back rest. Ivy drops down with me, nestling her head under my chin. “You heard that they are trying to recall me.”
“I did,” she whispers. “I’m so sorry. You don’t deserve this.”
“Honey, at this moment, I couldn’t care less.” I sweep my hand down her hair and smile. “How could I be upset by anything right now?”
“I still hate it.”
Planting a kiss to the top of her head, I say, “Thank you for caring about me. But no worrying tonight. Okay?”
“Okay. But Tripp?”
“Yes?”
“I do care about you.”
With a simple five words, she completely obliterated me. My heart has always belonged to her, but for the first time, I have hope that she’s ready to claim it.
Ivy
“You look rather content for someone displaced from her home,” Poppy says with a raised eyebrow.
“Yeah, shouldn’t we be worried about your apartment being destroyed?” Stevie asks.
“And the fact that you took more than a day to share that news with us?” Wren adds.
A grin splits across my face as I prop my chin in my hands. “Sorry, it turned out to be a really good day,” I muse, still in a haze from the night before.
I’ve severely understated things. The first night ended with a world-shattering kiss and being able to fall asleep in his arms, and then the date yesterday was perfect, every minute of it. All my worries had slipped away bit by bit, with each gentle caress and stolen embrace.
“Details, please,” Stevie urges, sinking down into one of the floral armchairs. Tomorrow is the re-opening of my store and they’ve come to help me get all my finishing touches together. Having a cup of tea, here with my girls, it feels as it did before. Comforting, inviting, and safe once more.
With Stevie’s prompting, I dive into the swoon worthy moments. From Tripp’s passionate words that led to me kissing him outside my apartment, to the fact that he rented out the whole drive-in for our date, I feel as if I’m on cloud nine just thinking about it all.
“And then at the end of the night, he handed me a key and drove me back to my apartment. Somewhere between working on the case and going to talk to my dad, he changed my locks and put my place back together.”
My heart soars as I think back to the moment when I opened my front door and was greeted by the pristine sight. Yes, some things were broken and needed replaced, but those items were cleared out and everything else was back in its rightful place. Being at a loss for words is not a sensation with which I’m accustomed. Yet, he had managed to render my mind useless with the gesture.
“We always said that man’s attention to detail was impeccable,” Wren smiles, her teacup poised at her lips.
“He even asked if I had a dream man I was looking for, like Sally Owens.”
“So, what I’m hearing is that he pretty much declared his love for you? Wicked smooth Tripp,” Poppy says with approval. “Bonus points for it being with a witchy movie.”
“Did you tell him that he was the dream man?” Wren asks.
“I may have hinted at it. I’ve been surprisingly brave lately.”
“You being brave isn’t surprising,” Poppy offers through a frown, as if she can’t understand my point.
“Besides, it’s a good thing that you aren’t trying to hold back with him anymore,” Stevie beams. “You should tell him for real, not hints. And then you two can just be in love.”
Wren and Poppy exchange a glance behind her. I smirk, knowing what the look is about. We’ve always been convinced that Stevie hasn’t seen her own potential love right in front of her. That she could use this exact advice.
But I could too. Because last night confirmed something I’ve known for some time. Something that’s been tucked away in a quiet corner of my heart.
Tripp is the answer to my own true love spell, of sorts, pieced together by the most romantic of written words I’ve devoured over time.